Banglamung officials raid Soi Buakaow gambling den

Banglamung officials raided a Soi Buakaow home believed to be an illegal gambling den, arresting its caretaker and seizing more than 1 million baht in cash, weapons and electronics.

District Chief Chawalit Saeng-Uthai led more than 50 civil defense volunteers in the after-midnight raid May 30. Apparently tipped off, gamblers had fled the scene beforehand, leaving behind only 20-year-old Issarak Wangkamollan, who claimed to have no connection to the gambling operation.

Banglamung District Chief Chawalit Saeng-Uthai inspects the confiscated handgun along with hundreds of thousands of baht, gambling slips and tables found during a raid on a Soi Buakaow home.

Spread out over 30 sq. meters were tables apparently used by gamblers, with signs posted to indicate betting on big and small, a popular gambling game. More than 500 football-betting stubs were recovered as well as 368,910 baht in cash.

Police also discovered a loaded 11mm handgun, two televisions, computer, printers, fax machines, DVD players, satellite television box, dice and cards. Eight bankbooks showing deposits of more than 200,000 baht were also found.

Saying he was simply hired to care for the property, Issarak told police the casino would operate from 11 a.m. to 5 a.m. Despite claiming to earn just 500 baht a day, the supposed caretaker was charged with operating an illegal casino, exchanging personal assets without a license and other gambling-related offenses.

This article was published in the Pattaya Mail newspaper on Friday June 8, 2012 (Vol. XX No. 23).

1 Comment

There is huge 1,000 sq. mt. casino in 9 Karat condo, ground floor, North building and in the Centre building. The condo juristic person brought in gaming tables, 10 to 15 computers, and about 150 chairs occupying condo common areas.

The casino office is the condo main entrance way, with a green sign.

There were also about 100 workers living in the condo from Cambodia. Most have left but a few still live in the building.

The Pattaya Police did visit this establishment while it was under construction in Feb. and March 2013. How come they did not confiscate the gaming software, computers, etc. and charge the owner?